


Keeping you in sight

by GoForGoals



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 18:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2437937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/pseuds/GoForGoals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it’s a long way until you finally realize that you are in love. But you will never forget the moment it becomes clear – the moment you feel the butterflies in your stomach for the very first time.</p>
<p>Marco sat in his car when it happened.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping you in sight

Probably everyone knows the feeling when you notice that you are fallen for someone. It mostly happens in a slow process: At first you may like the smile of the other one, the laughter or the way he or she is talking. Then you catch yourself searching his or her presence, feeling comfortable around the other one.  
  
And sometimes it’s a long way until you finally realize that you are in love. But you will never forget the moment it becomes clear – the moment you feel the butterflies in your stomach for the very first time.  
  
Marco sat in his car when it happened.  
  
He was driving through Dortmund, pretending that he was looking for a gas station that was still open. But in fact, his tank was full. And in fact, he was crossing the street where Erik lived for likely the third time. Or was it the fourth? He didn’t know.  
  
All he knew, all he _felt_ anymore was the passionate longing for his younger teammate. “Jesus Christ”, he thought, “why didn’t I see that coming?” Although he _did_ see it, but didn’t want to admit it.  
  
The midfielder breathed deeply before he drove back home.  
  
When he arrived at his flat, he threw his shoes into a corner and slumped onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.  
  
Erik. How could that happen?  
  
He recalled the time they spend together with the national team. They had so much fun and he couldn’t remember when he laughed this carefree. But that was not all.  
  
"Be honest, Marco", he said to himself, "you do find him attractive and God yes, he has the certain something."  
  
The midfielder drifted away in his mind, thinking of Erik, his puppy eyes and his well-defined shape. He groaned when he noticed what these visions did to his own body. "There you have me", he wondered.  
  
Marco stood up again, wandering around in his flat. All of a sudden, he smiled weakly. “At least I can feel something again”, he guessed.  
  
It has been a long while since he was enamoured and the last time he fell for somebody, it ended in a month-long lovesickness. Sometimes he feared that he would end up alone and lonely. He became embittered and he didn’t allow anybody to come near.  
  
And now Erik couldn’t come near enough.  
  
Marco shook his head in disbelief, not knowing what he should do. Should he forget about it? Surely he would come over it. He always came over it. Or should he try to take his chance? And if so – how should he do it?  
  
In the middle of the night he found himself lying sleepless in his bed. He seriously considered how to close up on Erik. Should he invite him to the cinema? Too obvious. Should he ask him to come over to his flat? He didn’t know for what reason.  
  
He decided to wait and see but that didn’t bring him sleep either. "I can’t do that", he tried to hold himself back, "not with a teammate again." But the burning desire didn’t fade away. Whenever he closed his lids, Marco saw a picture of Erik in his mind’s eye.  
  
***  
  
The next training session was weird. Marco tried not to stare at Erik, stunned of the feelings he had for the younger one. Instead, he tried to explore something he didn’t find attractive about the defender. He failed grandiosely.  
  
By the end of the week he was more involved than ever. He started to love the way Erik moved, the way he tied his shoes and the way he ran his fingers though his hair. But he still didn’t know what he should do. He had never been good in flirting and Jesus, why did he even think about flirting with Erik? He considered ways and means without a result. Everything that came up to his mind seemed to be too lame, too evident and too suspicious.  
  
Normally, he would have just tried his luck without reflecting too much, but this time, it was different. He didn’t want to go wrong with Erik because, well, he wanted to be the right for him.  
  
***  
  
Some days later, he witnessed a talk between Mats and Erik in the locker room. "Do you know a good restaurant in Dortmund where you can eat fish?", Erik asked the other one. "My parents will stay here after the match on Saturday and my mother loves to eat fish."  
  
Before Mats could answer and before Marco could even think about it, he stepped into the conversation. "You should ask a real Dortmund boy", he tried to play the cool. Mats looked at him surprised. "I thought you don’t like fish?" "Eh, yes. I don’t. I mean, I do. Anyway, I know a good fish restaurant." Erik smiled at him with bright eyes and Marco had to pull himself together to continue in proper sentences.  
  
"I think I have the business card of the restaurant in my car", he tried to gain time because honestly, he didn’t have the slightest clue where to eat good fish in Dortmund.  
  
"Perfect", Erik stated, "I’ll come with you outside. Maybe you can lend me the card?" "Sure", Marco hurried to answer. Of course, he didn’t find the card in his car but he hit on an idea.  
  
"I’m sorry, I can’t find it. But I can show you the way to the restaurant? Follow me with your car, that would be the best." He didn’t wait until Erik answered or until he suggested to just giving him the name. Instead, Marco immediately slammed the door of his car shut.  
  
His heart started to beat faster. "Hopefully Erik doesn’t question why I behave so strange", he thought. "God damn, I’m fucking it up."  
  
But just two minutes later, Erik drove right behind Marco through Dortmund.  
  
The latter had called his sister in the desperate attempt to find a fish restaurant he could head for. "Yvonne? You must help me. Where can you eat good fish in Dortmund? It’s urgent." "What’s up with you?", his sister replied, "I thought you don’t like fish." "For fuck’s sake, please tell me a restaurant where you can eat…" "Relax", Yvonne interrupted him, "you could drive to 'La Romantica', you know where it is?" "Yes. Thank you."  
  
"Damn, 'La Romantica'", Marco thought unbelievingly, "that fits". He made a turn and drove into the other direction. Erik would think that he has lost his last spark of mind anyway so that didn’t matter either.  
  
***  
  
When they arrived at the restaurant, parking their cars next to each other, Marco was embarrassed. He got out of his Aston Martin, smiling insecurely. Erik on the other hand seemed to sparkle.  
  
"Wow, that looks cosy", he uttered enthusiastically. "Yeah, and they have good food", Marco stated. "Thank you for showing me the way". "Naah, you’re welcome. That’s nothing." Both stared at each other sheepishly. "Well then, I’ll drive home", Marco said, hating himself for the words.  
  
"Wait", Erik murmured. "I mean, I would like to try the restaurant before bringing my parents here. Not that I don’t trust you, but… What I want to say is… I’d like to eat here." "Yes, that’s a clever idea", Marco said, not getting the hint. Erik hesitated before he added: "Now. With you?"  
  
Marco smiled like the Cheshire’s cat when the penny dropped. "Nothing better than that! I’m hungry and", he swallowed, "I always like to eat in nice company." Erik’s eyes glistened. "Then let’s go inside?" "Yes, let’s go."  
  
***  
  
The dinner was amazing. Marco felt so comfortable around Erik that it hurt. He could talk about everything with him, drowning in his gaze. If he wouldn’t know it better he would have said that it was like… a date.  
  
All too fast they had eaten the last bite. "Whoa, I’m full", the defender stated, "you were right, this was absolutely delicious." "I’m happy to hear that. And I have had enough, too." Then the midfielder gathered his courage. "Maybe we should have a walk to digest the meal. Can I show you another place in Dortmund?" "With pleasure!" "Come on, we’ll take my car."  
  
Marco drove them to a quiet little lake where they could stay without being recognized. Nobody else was there.  
  
"What a wonderful place! It’s always good to know an insider who can take you around", Erik said while he overlooked the scenario.  
  
They walked around the lake until their hands collided accidentally. Marco shivered, sucking in the air sharply. "God damn, I’m behaving like an idiot", he imagined.  
  
Erik just smiled from ear to ear but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he pointed at a bench. "Should we sit down a while?” Marco nodded. He fell onto the bench and Erik did the same.  
  
Was it just him or was Erik indeed that close? He could feel the thigh of the defender next to his own and his arm touched the one of Marco. The midfielder tried to divert the attention by talking about sweet nothings.  
  
Then he could feel a soft pressure against his shoulder. Another imagination? Or did Erik do it on purpose? The defender didn’t show his intentions, he continued talking while Marco started to sweat. "Should we move on?", Erik asked then, "it’s getting dark." "Yes", the midfielder answered, immediately missing Erik’s closeness when they stood up.  
  
Marco already felt heavy-hearted because he didn’t want this to end. Before they climbed back into the car, Erik suddenly said: "Thank you for these hours. Can I give you something back in return?" He looked at Marco that one millisecond too long for a normal gaze between two teammates, his eyes dark, wide and full of hope.  
  
And although the midfielder had millions of ideas what Erik could give him back in return, he wasn’t able to speak. "Maybe next time I could show you a place to eat?", the defender murmured. "I mean, if a 'next time' would be okay for you", he continued hesitantly because Marco still didn’t answer.  
  
The midfielder came back to life when he reached a conclusion in his head. A surprising conclusion that almost took his breath away. But he had enough air left to whisper something.  
  
"It would be marvellous. And is this one here okay for you?" He placed a quick kiss on Erik’s cheeks, not sure if the younger one would pull back, but his fears were ungrounded.  
  
"You may remember the moment when you notice that you are fallen for someone", Marco thought, placing another kiss on Erik, this time on his lips. "But you definitely won’t forget the moment when you finally realize that the other one is in love with you, too"

**Author's Note:**

> So yes, here it is. :-)
> 
> I tried to write an one-shot in which Marco is the one who is longing for Erik (I mean, surely Erik is in love, too, but Marco needed some time to figure it out). 
> 
> The song "I can't fight this feeling anymore" from Reo Speedwagon was the inspiration. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
